"It's great, honestly," said Marissa Irene Marcarelli, a senior in computer science at California State University, Long Beach. "We're not taught about your culture and the things you do on a daily basis. The activities were very interactive and helped me better understand contemporary China."

Zhang Qiong, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, said she hoped the visit would foster friendship and mutual trust. "Young people represent infinite possibilities," she said.

The program is also bringing together descendants of the Flying Tigers, an American volunteer group that aided the Chinese Air Force in fighting against Japanese invasion during World War II. Xu Shaoli, president of the American Flying Tigers Friendship Association, encouraged participants to share their China experiences back home. "We can promote the Flying Tigers spirit and pass on this friendship from generation to generation," Xu said.